If you have not tasted Swiftwater Cellars wines, you are in for a treat. This under the radar winery is based at the Suncadia Resort roughly 20 miles east of Snoqualmie Pass. It is a breeze to get there especially in the summer months. I had a chance to visit Andrew Wisniewski and his Swiftwater Cellars wines last year and really enjoyed tasting his new efforts from the barrel (and stainless tanks). A younger guy, Andrew brings great energy to this program and has amassed more than a decade of winemaking experience prior to joining Swiftwater Cellars in 2014. He has worked in New Zealand, Australia and more recently Oregon, where he served as Cellar Master for the Stoller Family Estate.
I really enjoyed his new lineup of wines which are to be released this spring. Look to the 2018 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Proprietary White’ White Wine (WWB, 91) which has textural opulence and a silky mouthfeel. I loved the 2018 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Oregon’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 91) which is an awesome value out of Oregon and shows really good range and tension. Even better was the highly impressive 2017 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Reserve’ Syrah (WWB, 93) which has brilliantly dialed in smoky and savory tones with a plush texture. Learn more about this exciting winery at https://www.swiftwatercellars.com Here are the great new wines by Swiftwater Cellars.
2018 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Quintessence Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2018 ‘Quintessence Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc was aged in 35% new French puncheons and saw 8 months sur lie aging before bottling. Light nutty aromas meld with shades of Bosc pear and nutmeg infused starfruit on this expressive nose. The palate surprises you with wonderful viscosity and texture, as this bright, yet well-weighted wine will cellar well over the next five to seven years. This is a seriously good style of Washington Sauvignon Blanc. Drink 2020-2027- 91
2018 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Proprietary White’ White Wine- The 2018 ‘Proprietary White’ is a Bordeaux style white wine comprised of 58% Sauvignon Blanc and the remainder Semillon all sourced from the Klipsun Vineyard on Red Mountain. The soft texture combines with a bright sense of minerality, as the wine unveils lemon zest with kumquat and Gravenstein apple flavors. Considering the site, this has good freshness and verve, with a long finish. Drink 2020-2025- 91
2018 Swiftwater Cellars Viognier- The 2018 Swiftwater Cellars Viognier has 12% Marsanne blended in. Aromas of ripe apricot, honeysuckle and green papaya give this an exotic aromatic presentation. The freshness and mid-palate weight is seriously good as the silky texture entices. Enjoy this over the next seven years. Drink 2020-2026- 91
2018 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Sourced from this esteemed, cool-climate vineyard in the Yakima Valley, the wine takes on bright pear with lemon cream aromatics that take their shape in the glass. The palate is round and generous with a soft texture. Bright tropical fruits mingle with shades of vanilla cream on the palate. The long, mineral and cream-driven finish lingers long on the palate. This is truly fantastic stuff by the talented Andrew Wisniewski. Drink 2020-2028- 92
2017 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Oregon’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Matteri, Saffron Fields and Guadalupe Vineyards, the ‘Oregon’ Pinot Noir opens with blood orange zest alongside bright red fruits and damp earth undertones that mingle together in the glass. The palate is medium to full-bodied, delivering a silky texture and copious red fruits that dance with minerals and citrus rind tones. This is seriously good stuff that will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2020-2030- 91
2017 Swiftwater Cellars ‘No. 9’ Pinot Noir- The ‘No. 9’ Pinot Noir was stored in French oak (15%) for fourteen months before bottling. This comes off on the leaner side with pomegranate seed and shades of kumquat zest on the palate alongside minerals. Drink 2020-2025- 89
2016 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Thistle Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Thistle Vineyard’ is located in the Dundee Hills AVA as the wine was stored in French oak (25% new) before bottling. Intense black fruits with damp earth tones and hints of cola fill the nose. The palate is juicy, showing bright acidity alongside deep dark fruit flavors. Round and generous, this is seriously good Pinot Noir that will have a long life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2033- 92
2016 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Saffron Fields Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Saffron Fields Vineyard’ Pinot Noir underwent 100% whole cluster fermentation and was aged in a small amount of new French oak (15%) before bottling. Bright red fruits with light tannins and gobs of acidity line the palate. The mouthfeel and texture of the wine really entices, as does the long finish that lingers on the tongue. A delight to savor now, the 2016 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Saffron Fields Vineyard’ Pinot Noir will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2020-2033- 92
2017 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah by Swiftwater Cellars shows milk chocolate tones that collect momentum with black tea and blackberry cobbler on the nose. Forward and showing good freshness, the wine delivers straightforward black fruit flavor with lighter herbal tones on the palate. Enjoy this in its youth. Drink 2020-2025- 90
2017 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Syrah- Sourced from this famed Yakima Valley Vineyard, the ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Syrah was aged for eighteen months in 100% neutral puncheons prior to bottling. Smoky and savory tones mingle with black tea and boysenberry preserves on this expressive nose. The palate reveals a silky mouthfeel, with bright red and black fruits that collide with the damp earth and milk chocolate tones on the palate. Every bit delicious in its youth, the 2017 ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Syrah will have another decade or more in the cellar. Drink 2020-2030- 92
2017 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Ciel du Cheval Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Ciel du Cheval’ Syrah was aged for 18 months in 25% new French puncheons prior to bottling. Forward and dense, the silky mouthfeel entices. Blackberry compote, leather and dried herbs collide with minerals and dark chocolate cake on the palate. Dense and generous, this great effort will cellar well for ten to fifteen years. Drink 2020-2030- 92
2017 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Reserve’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Reserve’ Syrah is a gorgeous new wine by the talented Andrew Wisniewski. Sourced almost entirely from the Boushey Vineyard, the ‘Reserve’ shows lovely damp earth tones that connect with bacon fat, roasted figs and shades of milk chocolate on this exotic bouquet. The freshness, tension and soft mouthfeel is gorgeous. Black tea, exotic spices, bacon fat and shades of black olive tapenade flavors give this a savory edge, and are deftly woven together with the dense core dark fruits. Appealing now for its verve, the 2017 ‘Reserve’ Syrah will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2020-2033- 93